When his best dog friend passed away, this cat found the perfect way to remember him

Erin Conley Cain

Contributing Writer

Emma Catanzarite

Zeus and Sam were as close as two pets can be, their relationship flying in the face of cat-dog stereotypes. This cat and dog had different personalities and attitudes, and yet they made their relationship work and loved each other in their own way. Zeus adored Sam and would follow him everywhere; Sam tolerated Zeus and would sleep near him but was not one to allow kitty cuddles. Despite their differences, peace reigned in the household.

Sadly, a few months ago, Sam passed away, and Zeus grieved deeply for his canine friend.

"Zeus seemed really lonely after Sam passed away," said owner Emma Catanzarite. "He followed my mom around a lot more during the day and he meowed a lot after he died like he was looking for him. The day Sam died, we had him wrapped in a blanket and my mom came in the room to find Zeus sleeping on top of him, like he finally got the chance to cuddle with him."

Then, Zeus found a way to reconnect with his dog. The black cat was overjoyed when he found Sam's collar. After Sam passed away, Catanzarite placed his collar on top of her bookshelf, and Zeus came across it. He couldn't have been happier to smell his friend's scent again!

Then Zeus did something that brought tears to Catanzarite's eyes: The black cat began to roll on top of the collar on the floor as if to get Sam's scent all over him. It was as if Zeus wanted to immerse himself in what was left of his friend so he could remember what Sam the dog smelled like in happier days.

Catanzarite believes that finding Sam's collar has comforted Zeus during the grieving process. "He seemed so happy when he discovered it," she said. "I think it might have helped him."